Why does sinusitis cause headaches, sore throats, tinnitus?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Doctor CKII Nguyen Van Thai - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang.
Sinusitis is an infection of the mucous membrane lining the inside of the sinuses, leading to edema, narrowing the diameter of the sinus openings and causing pus discharge and fluid retention in the nasal cavity. The long-term accumulation of pus and fluid in the sinuses will affect other parts such as the throat, ears and head, making the patient uncomfortable.

1. What is sinusitis?

Sinusitis is an infection of the mucous membrane lining the inside of the sinuses, caused by bacteria, viruses or allergies, leading to edema, narrowing of the diameter of the sinuses and causing pain. purulent discharge, stagnation of fluid in the nasal cavity.
There are 2 types of sinusitis:
Acute sinusitis: Usually medical treatment is indicated. Chronic sinusitis: Usually requires medical + surgical treatment when needed.

2. Why does sinusitis cause headaches, sore throats, and tinnitus?

2.1. Why does sinusitis cause headaches?

When a patient has sinusitis, the most common symptom is a headache. This is a warning sign for sick people. So why does sinusitis cause headaches? According to research, sinusitis causes headaches due to:
Pathogenic factors such as bacteria, viruses, allergic agents cause sinusitis in the nose leading to a weakened immune system, putting pressure on the nervous system. , leading to headaches. When bacteria and viruses enter the sinuses, the nose becomes swollen and inflamed. The mucosa is swollen and causes a headache. When the mucosa is swollen due to sinusitis, the nerve is compressed, affecting the connection with the temporal region, causing headaches. Because the sinus opening is closed, the fluid in the nose cannot come out, the pressure on the sinus wall is greater, making the eyes, cheeks, ears and head uncomfortable.

2.2. Why does sinusitis cause sore throat?

Sinusitis can cause a sore throat. So why does sinusitis cause sore throat? The reason is that people with sinusitis will cause a cough, if the cough is not completely stopped, it will lead to a sore throat. Cough due to sinusitis can be caused by:
Polluted living environment: Dust is also the cause of coughing when having sinus disease. Dust enters the nasal cavity, the nose becomes red, swollen, and irritated, so the cough becomes more and more persistent, leading to a sore throat. Allergic cough: When the body is quite sensitive to external factors, the patient needs to limit contact with allergens such as dust, mold, ... The nose is blocked with fluid inside. making it difficult for the patient to breathe through the nose, accompanied by stuffy nose, discomfort. Therefore, the patient must use the mouth to breathe, which leads to the body not being kept warm, leading to injury and inflammation of the throat. Polyps cause sinusitis causing cough: Polyps cause the nasal cavity to be blocked, the fluid from the inside is stagnant. When the secretions in the nose do not escape through the odor tract, the fluid will directly pass down the throat, leading to a sore throat.

2.3. Why does sinusitis cause tinnitus?

Sinusitis causes tinnitus due to:
Nasal congestion creates pressure in the middle ear, affecting normal hearing and causing tinnitus symptoms. Pressing on a swollen sinus cavity can put pressure on the ear and react through the ear loop, if your nasal passages are blocked, the ear canal is also blocked, causing a disruption in the flow of sound into the ear.

3. Prevention of headache, sore throat, tinnitus caused by sinusitis

Methods to prevent headaches, sore throats, tinnitus caused by sinusitis include:
Lifestyle changes: A healthy lifestyle has a positive impact on sinusitis. Patients should avoid contact with allergens; exercise regularly; Strengthen resistance with proper nutrition. Massage: Massage will have the effect of dilating blood vessels, and at the same time helping to improve blood circulation; create a friction force with appropriate intensity to improve headaches, tinnitus due to sinusitis. Massage will help thin the mucus in the sinuses, you can blow your nose to remove them to limit sore throat for sinusitis. Nasal steam: Steam the nose to open the airways, help push out mucus and relieve pressure on the sinuses, thereby limiting the above conditions. You can steam with hot boiling water or add lemongrass and lemon essential oils. When inhaling, breathe slowly and deeply. After steaming, you need to blow your nose to remove mucus to help clear the airways. Hot bath: Similar to sauna, this remedy is also said to have the same effect. The heat from the steam will help moisten, at the same time, dissolve the mucus inside the sinuses and relax the mind, helping the patient to be comfortable, and repelling sinus headaches. In addition to the above measures, patients should also regularly use physiological saline to clean their nose and throat to help prevent infections and prevent headaches, tinnitus, and sore throat caused by sinusitis. Vinmec International General Hospital examines and treats common ear, nose and throat diseases, head and neck tumors, congenital malformations of the ear, nose and throat area with the most optimal internal and surgical methods for the disease. individuals, both children and adults. Coming to Vinmec International General Hospital, patients will receive a direct, dedicated and professional examination from a team of qualified and experienced medical staff. Especially, customers can have endoscopic examination with modern endoscope system as well as imaging system through CT Scan machine 640 cuts, MRI 3.2 Tesla,...

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